Shade fixture



March 1o, 1925.

H. K. HALL .SHADE FIXTURE Filed March -21, 1923 Patented: Mar. 10, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY K. HALL, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

snApn FIXTURE.

Application led March 21, 1923. Serial No. 626,465.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, I-In'NnY K. HALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rockford. in the county of Winnebago and State ot Illinois7have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shade Fixtures, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relating in ygeneral to curtains, shades and screens, hasmore particu lar reference to shade fixtures, such as are supported foryvertical adjustment. This adjustment is for the purpose of positioningthe shade to cover any desiredportion of the window., leaving a greaterorless amount of the Ywindow exposed either at the top or bottom so thatthe desired lighting eti'ects and ventilation may be obtained accordingto weather Conditions and the room requirements.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvedshade 'fixture ot this kind. with the'view to simplifying theconstruction so that it may be economically produced and will bethoroughly practical for the purposes in mind, and with the further viewof easel and convenience ot installation and adjustment.

In furtherance of the foregoing, my invention contemplates the provisionof novel means .tor supporting a shade characterizedy by suspension otthe shade at its center by means otl a fieXible element, such as a cordtrained over a pulley, and novel means for balancing, adjusting andguiding the shade, so that it will be properly positioned at all timeswith relation to the window and may be easily raised and lowered.

Another object is to guide the; suspended shade at its center on a tautwire or the equivalent, which in connection with guide means which willybe more tully described` hereinafter, holds the shade at the properlevel and prevents it from swinging from side to side. 'I

In Jfurther regard to the suspension. I have aimed to provide a meanstor` obtaining an approximatebalanceof the shade comprising a weightpositioned on the hanger at the end opposite from the rollerspring,.this weight being preferably permanently embedded in thehangerbar, and to further provide an adjustingmeans by which the shademay be balanced to atine degree ofnicety and retained in such bah ancedcondition at any position to which it may be set.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated bythoseskilled in this art as the invention becomes better under'- stood byreference to the following desc1ip tion when considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a Jfront elevationof a window trame., window and shade fixture operatively associatedtherewith embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantiallvon thel line Qf-Zof Fig.l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of the shade hanger with the shaderoller removed;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections taken on-the lines :tl-fl and 5--5,resrectively,vot Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear View of the hanger; and

Fig'. 7 is a detail section taken on the line 7 7 ot Fig. 6.

The shade roller 11 on which the shade l2 is wound. may be ot anysuitable or preferred construction. My invention. however, incertainrespects is intended tor application to shade rollers of the wellknown type having a spring in one end for windinfr the shade. Myinvention contemplates as mentioned above. the provision of means forsuspending and guiding this unequally balanced shade roller .in a simplevand practical-manner and so that it may be easily and convenientlyadjusted :tor service requirements. y

The shade roller will be supported on a suitable hanger 13 through theagency of the usual brackets 14. This hanger tor purpose ot economy inthe cost ot'manutacture is preferably in the form of a wooden bar boredor otherwise shaped at one end for the reception of a metal weight 15.The purpose of this weight is to counterbalance the weight of the springand appurtenant parts at the opposite end of the roller, this balancebeingeii'ected with relation'to the central suspension ot the hanger bymeans of a cord or other flexible element 16. -It will be manifest thatby lengthwise adjust ment ot the weight in the hanger bar, anapproximate balane of the shade roller and hanger will vbe obtained. Aplug 17 covers the end ot the weight hole in the hanger bar. In thepresent instance, the cord 16 is attached to the hanger bar throughmeans ot a metal bracket I8. Any: suitable means of attachment may,however, be employed. The hanger suspending cord hul is trained over astop pulley 19 of conventional construction, fixed to the top portion ofthe window frame 2l. By manipulation of the cord 1G t-he shade hangermay be raised and lowered as will be obvious, and supported at anyelevation by locking the cord in the strop pulley.

In the preferred form of my invention, the ends of the hanger baroverreach the sides of the window frame, and each end is equipped on itsinner face with a suit' able bumper or anti-friction device which willprevent such ends in their movement along the window frame from mari-ingthe finish thereof, and will provide sliding contact with such frame,such as will not interfere with the balance and proper operation of thehanger. The bumper shown at present for illustrative purpose merely, isin the form of a felt pad 22 secured by a screw 23 at each end of thehanger bar at the rear side thereof. Any form of. bumper or theequivalent may, however, be employed.

For the purpose of guiding the shade hanger for holding it againstswaying in any direct-ion and for maintaining a precise balance. so thatit may be easily raised and lowered and will be held in the properoperative position, I have provided a central guide and adjusting meanswhich will now be described. The guideway is preferably in the form of awire 2l stretched taut between the top of the window frame and sill 25at a central position thereon. The guide consists of a holder designatedgenerally by 26, adjustably attached to the hanger bar as will bepresently described, and carrying a guide element 27 which has anelongated hole through which the wire 24 passes. I prefer that the guideelement shall be of wood, rubber or some material having a coefficientof friction so different from the wire as to revent s uealinef b f P s 5sliding of the guide on the wire. The present guide has reduced ends 2Swhich fit in holes in the spaced arms 29 of the holder and are firmlyheld in position thereon. The guide holder is attached to the rear sideof the hanger bar centrally between its ends by means of screws 31 and32, the former of which provides a fixed fulcrum and the latter passesthrough an arcuate slot B3 in the upper end of the holder. It will bemanifest viewing Fig. 6, that when these screws are loosened the hangermay be tilted about the` screw 3l as a fulcrum for the purpose ofsecuring a fine adjustment or balance of the hanger and shade withrespect to the guide wire, and that when this adjustment is obtained itmay be made permanent by tightening both screws. Thus while anapproximate balance is obtained by the balance weight in the end of thehanger bar, the precise and final balance is obtained relativeadjustment of the hanger bar and guide. lVhen now the hanger is raisedand lowered by means of the cord 16 it will be perfectly balanced andwill slide freely and easily.

The guide wire 24 may be tightened by any suitable means, and I preferto attach it at its ripper end to a screw eye 3st fastened to the windowframe and at its lower end to a threaded element 35 which is threadedlyengaged in a plate 36 fastened to the window sill and has a flattenedthumbpiece head 87 provided with a hole for attachment to the wire. Itwill be manifest that by turning the thumb piece 15?, the member may bescrewed into the plate for tightening the wire to the necessary degree,and that by this simple means or the equivalent, the wire may be easilykept taut.

My improved shade fixture may be made in various sizes and applied towindows of any kind. .lt should be understood, therefore. that theexample disclosed herein is for illustrative purpose merely and thatchanges might be made in the size, shape and arrangement of parts and ofmaterials used without departing from the. spirit and scope of theinvention as expressed in the :ip-- pended claims.

I claim:

l. A shade fixture comprising a shade roller hanger, means forsuspending he hanger at a central position thereon, a verti` cal guideelement at said cental position. a guide slidable on said element.y aholder for attaching said guide to the hanger, and means connecting theholder to the hanger comprising a fulcrum screw and a screw passingthrougl an arcuate slot in the hang er, whereby the hanger may be tiltedon said fuleruin screw for balancing adjustment on said guide withoutsidewise displacement and whereby the hanger may be secured in theadjusted position by said second mentioned screw.

2. The combination of a window frame, of a shade fixture comprising aspring shade roller, a hanger therefor overreaching the sides of thewindow frame, aI bumper on each end portion of the hanger at the sideadjacent to the window frame, a cord attached to the hanger at a centralposition thereon, a stop pulley on the top portion of the window frameover which said cord is trained for suspending the hanger and adjustingit vertically, a weight on the end portion of the hanger opposite fromthe roller spring for securing an approximate balance of the hanger, awire guide attached to the top and bottom portions of the window framemedially between its sides and adapted to be drawn taut, and a guideslidable on said wire and pivotally attached tol the hanger on ahorizontal axis so that said hanger is adjustable about said pivot foraccurate ballOO ance, and means for fixedly securing the hanger in anyadjusted relation to the guide means.

3. A shade fixture of the character described comprising, incombination, `a spring-operated shade roller, a hanger bar, a bracket oneach end of the hanger bar between and upon which the roller is mounted,a hanger-suspending cord attached to said bar centrally between the endsthereof, a Vertical guide wire disposed centrally between the ends ofsaid hanger bar adjacent thereto, guide means on the hanger bar slidableon said guide wire, and a pivotal connection on a horizontal axisbetween the hanger bar and guide means, whereby the hanger bar may betilted on said guide means for securing balancing adjustment withoutsidewise displacement of the hanger bar.

4. A shade fixture of the character' described comprising, incombination, a spring-operated shade roller, a hanger bar, meanssupporting the roller on the hanger bar, av hanger-suspending cordattached to said bar centrally between the ends thereof, a verticalguide wire disposed centrally between the ends of said hanger baradjacent thereto, guide means on the hanger bar slidable on said guidewire, a weight on the end oi' the hanger bar opposite from thespring-carrying end of the roller adjustable lengthwise on said bar forsecuring approximate balance of the suspended part, a pivotal connectionon a horizontal axis between the hanger bar and guide means, whereby thehanger bar may be tilted on said guide means to secure accurate balanceof the suspended part, and means for securing the hanger bar to theguide means in any tilted position.

5. A shade fixture of the character described comprising, incombination, a spring-operated shade roller, a hanger bar of wood, abracket on each end of the hanger bar between and upon which the rolleris mounted, a hanger-suspending cord attached to said bar centrallybetween the ends thereof, a vertical guide wire disposed centrallybetween the ends of said hanger bar adjacent thereto, guide meansslidable on said guide wire, and pivotally attached to the hanger barfor adjustment and adapted to be iixedly connected thereto afteradjustment, the hanger bar being bored longitudinally inwardly from itsend opposite from the spring-carrying end of the shade roller, and aweight inserted into the bored hole for securing approximate balance ofthe hanger and roller 0n the guide wire.

6. A shade fixture comprising, in combination, a hanger bar, a shaderoller supported on the front of said bar, a cord Jfor suspending thehanger bar from a central point thereon, a Vertical guide wire at theback of the hanger bar, and means for guiding the hanger bar upon saidwire comprising vertically spaced arms extending rearwardly from thehanger bar and a wireengaging guide means attached to each of F saidarms and being of a non-metallic material, and means for effectingbalancing adjustment between the guide means and hanger bar.

HENRY K. HALL,

